Martinsburg can equal Charleston for three titles in a row

November 27, 2012

MARTINSBURG - Kyle Britner can think of no better way to celebrate his 18th birthday than by winning a state championship.

One of the top tacklers for the Martinsburg football team, Britner will get his opportunity to do so when the Bulldogs take on Cabell Midland Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium in the Class AAA state final.

"I really want to spend (my birthday) for the last time with my family out here, my brothers," Britner said, pointing toward his teammates in the locker room after a Tuesday practice punctuated by music by heavy-metal band Tremonti blaring loudly enough for a dance to break out four blocks away on King Street.

"This is my family," Britner added.

With the opportunity for the best birthday present ever for Britner, he and his teammates can make some history as they take on the top-seeded and undefeated Knights.

No team in Class AAA in West Virginia has won three straight championships since Charleston in 1970.

The Bulldogs have that opportunity after claiming titles during the past two seasons.

"It's been on our minds," Britner said, "but playing in the championship game is more of a goal now."

While several other football teams have played in three straight finals in the past four decades only North Marion had an opportunity to equal Charleston with three titles in a row. The Huskies failed in Game 3, however, losing to George Washington in 1982.

"It would mean everything to us, especially finishing up our senior year," running back-defensive back Gary Awkard said. "There's nothing better than a state championship as a senior.

"When you see the seniors work so hard and then getting their rings, you've earned it."

To a man, though, the Bulldog players say it's not about matching any piece of history. It's more about the game itself and their chance to win a crown.

"We really haven't given it that much thought," wide receiver-defensive back Cedric Brown said. "We like to think about what we accomplished. We want to make an impact on the community and show people what we can do as a team and a representative of the Eastern Panhandle."

It's one of the storylines, whether Martinsburg's players think about it or not.

Lineman Eugene German, who, like Brown, has committed to a Division I school for his football future, agreed.

"After the game (if we win), it'll dawn on us if we made history," German said. "We're more focused on winning right now."

Right now is upon Martinsburg.

"Yeah, it's here," German said. "All season all we've been thinking about is 'win the next game,' 'win the next game.'

"That hasn't changed. We're still thinking about the next one. The only difference is the 'next one' is the state championship game."

The Bulldogs have won 12 of 13 games this season and eight in a row. Cabell Midland has won all 13 games it played this season and is the top seed.

"I just treat it like it was a regular-season game," defensive end Dildeep Dhatt said. "It's in the back of our minds, but that gives us more pressure to think about it, rather than to not think about it."

Dhatt said that because Cabell Midland is undefeated and the top seed that "there's more pressure on them."